The Roger Nichols Archive

Wendel

The 75-pound blue box — arguably the first DAW — invented by Roger Nichols in 1978. The drum sounds behind Steely Dan, Donald Fagen, John Denver, Toto, and more.

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You’re Gonna Want to Buy Wendel Samples

The Wendel Drum Sample Pack — 500+ original one-shots restored for modern DAWs — and Roger’s EQ articles are for sale from the archives. Digital download, instant delivery.

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Chronology

A Machine Ahead of Its Time

1976

It starts with a COMPAL-80

Roger’s first computer purchase — a COMPAL-80 — and 8080 assembly language classes.

1978

Wendel is born

Developed as a sampling drum machine and audio sampler. 125kHz / 12-bit — specs years ahead of the industry.

1979Steely Dan

Wendel goes on record

Wendel is used on Steely Dan’s Gaucho album for drums and percussion.

1981The Nightfly

Wendel-II

A 16-bit 8086 version with digital I/O to the 3M digital 32-track recorder. Used for drums, percussion and audio sampling on Donald Fagen’s The Nightfly. 50kHz / 16-bit.

1984

Wendeljr

A playback-only percussion unit — 50kHz / 16-bit — a drum trigger still used on the road today.

1987Press

Mix magazine takes notice

George Peterson reviews Wendeljr — the clipping is preserved in the archive below.

Under the hood: Wendel was powered by a 3MHz 8085 processor, programmed in 8085 assembler. The I/O was analog — TRW microwave converters with a Teledyne sample-and-hold amplifier — and the sounds were sampled at 125kHz / 12-bit.

From the Archive

Original Photographs & Screens

Roger Nichols' first computer, a COMPAL-80 — First computer: COMPAL-80. 56k memory, 1.8MHz 8080, 315k Micropolis floppy.

Sample and hold board from Wendel's converter — 2.5″ × 5″ sample-and-hold for the 12-bit converter.

The original Wendel machine — The original Wendel — S-100 card cage left of the 5¼″ floppy, 9″ monitor right. 1978: the first laptop computer.

Wendel-3 editing screen, 1984 — editing conga for Wendeljr carts.

Wendel-3 screen with edit markers, 1984.

George Peterson's Wendeljr review in Mix magazine, 1987 — George Peterson’s Wendeljr review — Mix, 1987.

Reading

The Original Manuals

Wendeljr Manual (PDF)Wendel-1 Manual (PDF)

Support the Legacy

New Wendel Merch

All proceeds go towards the Roger Nichols Legacy — a documentary, archiving, and the ultimate goal of starting a foundation to support music education and excellence. One step at a time! Plus, how awesome will it be to see people walking around in Wendel shirts? Thank you for the continued support and celebration of Roger Nichols and his legacy.

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